GolfGTIforum.co.uk
Model specific boards => Golf mk7 => Topic started by: Sootchucker on 03 May 2013, 23:11
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Just wondering how many people have gone for the climate windscreen and advanced phone package ?
I would have loved to spec the windscreen, however combined with the advanced phone package, its nearly £600. As far as I can see the phone package adds nothing really for me (don't need a wifi network in the car and my iPhone doesn't support rSap - which I believe the package uses ?).
Does the windscreen use a separate switch in the centre console (there seems to be an unused one at the top right next to the gear lever - just ahead of the parking sensor buttons), or is it linked with the rear screen.
I'm really struggling to justify the cost even though I want the screen. If anyone's ordered it and can share their reasoning, I'd be glad to hear.
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I have ordered the combo, and my reasoning is simple - I promised myself that my next car would have a heated front screen after suffering quite bad misting issues in my Mk5 when cold or very wet. Not to mention quickly and efficiently clearing ice.
I almost cancelled/delayed my GTI order based on rumours the Golf would be getting such a screen. It's one of those things that I know if I left it off the list, I'd be kicking myself as soon as the time comes when I would have really benefited from having it. I'm also keeping my car for a good number of years, so the last thing I want is for it to not be right and have to live with regret. Nor do I have a garage so the car is always out!
I'm in the same boot as you, I have an iPhone, and have little use for the advanced features even if it were compatible. I rarely use my phone in the car as it is anyway. But, I understand the radiation-blocking potential of the screen and so OK, rightly or wrongly it is what it is. I'm not happy it costs so much in total, but I'm very happy that I have it. I just look at it like this - 19" wheels cost almost a grand, and leather costs around £1,700 I think. Neither of which perform any real function other than cosmetic. Every single option I've chosen has a genuinely useful function either all year or when it's cold.
As for the button, not sure whether it's a separate one like they have in the Fords, or just linked to the rear heater switch. Not fussed either way to be honest as long as it's effective! :grin:
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I'd like it but at six ton you'd need to be off your rocker cover.
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I noticed the description of the advanced telephone package in the new price list doesn't mention rSap, it just says:
"Storage compartment in front centre armrest with integrated uSB socket for telephone charging. Connection to the vehicle’s external aerial for improved reception."
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I'd like it but at six ton you'd need to be off your rocker cover.
Being something I want as part of the spec for my car, it's actually only £310 extra on top of what I'm happy to pay. I could say the same about people who pay £1700 for leather seats, or those who think a grand for 19" bling wheels is great value. I could even say the same about anybody buying a new car at all given how much they depreciate...
I noticed the description of the advanced telephone package in the new price list doesn't mention rSap, it just says:
"Storage compartment in front centre armrest with integrated uSB socket for telephone charging. Connection to the vehicle’s external aerial for improved reception."
Right, but nor does the price list mention the HFP protocol used by the standard media unit. It will almost certainly be bluetooth rSAP, not a physical connection via USB.
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I was hoping it would be a bit like the phone box on the new A3:
"A new and innovative feature available for the Audi A3 is the Audi Phone Box.
By placing your mobile phone into a compartment within the centre console your mobile phone will connect wirelessly to the roof’s aerial, improving phone reception and removing the need for a phone cradle. A USB socket, located in the compartment, can be used for charging your phone."
Or is this rSAP too?
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Well, unless the car has it's own WiFi hotspot for you to connect through, it's almost certainly going to be Bluetooth rSAP they refer to as wireless. I'm changing phones in October anyway, so if iPhone doesn't work with it very well/at all, it's no big deal.
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Does anyone know which phones will work with the VW systems. been reading that not all phones will give full functionality. will all brand new phones work?
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Had a check over on the German VW forums (motor talk.de), and a couple of them have the climate windscreen already. Interesting to hear their comments that whilst it does a great job at de-misting the screen when it's humid, it's apparently not so great with heavy frost and ice. It's supposidly not as powerful as the rear screen and (according to them at least) is only good for light frost and is no substitute for an ice scraper, and doesn't seem as powerful as Ford's "Quickclear" system. See below:
"My conclusion:
I would take the climate windscreen again, even if it clearly is not doing what is expected in snow and ice on the windshield. Anyone hoping to be able to enter in the morning and have the screen clear free of ice will be disappointed, you will still need your scraper."
Like I said looks like it will be great for de misting, and lets not forget the special UV coating that's suppost to make the interior cooler in the summer (not that it's something we have to worry about in this country :grin:)
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For £600? No way! TBH I find fogging up of the glass more of a pain than freezing up and this new screen would keep that at bay. A bucket of luke warm water over the windscreen when setting off from the house is my usual method of deicing, it warms up the screen enough so that it doesn't freeze over again 2 minutes into your journey.
I don't have a mobile and if I did I wouldn't use it in the car, hands free or otherwise so why VW have to force the phone stuff onto me to get the heated screen is beyond me. Sell the screen separately, but make sure the customer knows there may be phone "issues" if you spec the screen alone.
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I was hoping it would be a bit like the phone box on the new A3:
"A new and innovative feature available for the Audi A3 is the Audi Phone Box.
By placing your mobile phone into a compartment within the centre console your mobile phone will connect wirelessly to the roof’s aerial, improving phone reception and removing the need for a phone cradle. A USB socket, located in the compartment, can be used for charging your phone."
Or is this rSAP too?
Yes
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I agree with you monkeyhanger, they should just make people aware that there could be reception issues, and let the consumer decide. But hey ho...
Regarding the performance of the screen, even heavy frost and ice doesn't just magically disappear with the Ford Quickclear, and sometimes needs a bit of assistance. Given that the sides need scraping anyway, it's not the be-all and end-all of solutions, but second to frost is misting and condensation on the inside when it's really wet or cold. Besides, most modern cars will clear ice with the air-con and heating left on full for long enough anyway, this just accelerates that process.
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A better option would have been the webasto pre heater that our friends in Scandinavia get. can be remotely activated I think and would mean the engine and therefore the cabin would warm up quicker.
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That would be cool mcmaddy, or should that be warm?!
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:grin: :grin: :grin:
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I still can't see this on the online configurator. Is it something you have to order at a showroom?
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As far as I know it's not even on the official ordering system at dealers yet - my order form has "to be added when available" next to my heated screen and phone prep options.
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It's on the latest price list but the configurator is way behind, it's still not showing Carbon grey as an option on the app!! :shocked:
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£600 and you still have to scrape the windows? That's ludicrous. That certainly won't be on my options when I make the jump.
What is wrong with keeping the fan at low to stop it misting??
Inside of cars shouldn't mist over and if they do then there is either something wet in the car or the air con has just been turned off.
Seems a lot of money just to do something that the car can already do with the Automatic Climate Control.
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Amazing how a comment on a forum somewhere can render an option useles...
Modern cars often mist up when a few of you get into a cold car. Air com eventually sorts it out, but the same person who said it doesn't deal with think ice well, also said that it deals with misting very well. As ever, until we have actual real-world representative facts, people fish out the reviews and comments that tell them what they want to hear to make them feel good about their decisions! I'm as guilty as the rest.
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I've never had a problem with misting windows with the climate control on and my car spends quite a bit of time in the Lake district! :laugh:
I think if it's true that you still need to scrape the window then it's not worth the £600 as you don't have to scrape a ford window! However that is just one persons opinion and perhaps he's just not leaving it long enough??
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If that is directed at me, where did I say it was useless?
If the windscreen still has to be scrapped I personally don't see the point.
Most folk on here have spoke about it stopping the windscreen misting up but they already have a good system in place to do this. All I was making reference to was for a £600 option, that the car can already do, seems a ludicrous amount to me.
I'm certainly out with that but if folk are happy then it is entirely up to them to get it.
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My Mk5 GTI suffers from misting up and condensation when cold, as does my mates Mk6 TDI. Not saying the climate control doesn't eventually sort it out, but anything to help that is a bonus. Time will tell just how effective or not it really is.
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My Mk5 GTI suffers from misting up and condensation when cold, as does my mates Mk6 TDI. Not saying the climate control doesn't eventually sort it out, but anything to help that is a bonus. Time will tell just how effective or not it really is.
I wonder if you've both got some sort of underlying problem as if my family and i get in the car after a wet walk round the fells my windows clear almost instantly when the climate control is switched on. :huh: and i've never had any issues with condensation, i know some have and ended up putting bags of silica gel round the interior of the car.
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I agree with Jimble. My Mk6 misted once in the 3 years I had it and I live in wet wet wet Scotland. :shocked:
Ironically it misted when I was down in Sunderland for a Coldplay gig and it rained all day / night and me and my son were absolutely drenched. It must have taken about 20 minutes that night to eventually clear the screen.
In those situations I dare say the heated screen would be invaluable but for me once in 3 years is hardly worthwhile. I'd maybe look at why your car is misting as much? I never use the air con and think this really helps keep the misting up at bay!
As for the guy on the german forum maybe not giving it enough to time to clear the ice, fair enough but how long is enough time?
I find if I start my car (diesel), put the blower on full, scrape the side windows, by the time I come to the front, the bottom half has already broke up / cleared.
If the option was only a hundred or so I might be swayed but the fact they lumped it in with the phone prep, it seems unrealistically high for the benefit in return.
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Sorry guys, didn't mean to start a war :sad:
As others have said, this is only one persons view, and to be honest, if I could have it without the phone prep, I'd call into the dealers today and add it on. It's just for me personally (and only me), its not worth it for £600 but would have been for £250.
Note...must keep thoughts to self in future.... :laugh:
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Sorry guys, didn't mean to start a war :sad:
As others have said, this is only one persons view, and to be honest, if I could have it without the phone prep, I'd call into the dealers today and add it on. It's just for me personally (and only me), its not worth it for £600 but would have been for £250.
Note...must keep thoughts to self in future.... :laugh:
It's all healthy discussion mate! And if we all kept our thoughts to ourselves it wouldn't be much of a forum! :laugh:
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Sorry guys, didn't mean to start a war :sad:
As others have said, this is only one persons view, and to be honest, if I could have it without the phone prep, I'd call into the dealers today and add it on. It's just for me personally (and only me), its not worth it for £600 but would have been for £250.
Note...must keep thoughts to self in future.... :laugh:
I think it's a great discussion.
It's an expensive option and a healthy debate on here helps everyone considering a mk7 to weigh up the pros and cons of that option.
Personally I'm in the same boat as others here. I'd love the option as I use the car at 04:30 each day and it would be a huge boon in winter. BUT as it's not something likely to retain much of the outlay I'd not spend more than the basic cost of the unit as the enhanced phone kit is of no value to me. Well, it might be useful occasionally but not three hundred odd quid's worth of useful.
I'll leave the company car funded people to spec that option and it will be a bonus for second and third owners a few years down the line...
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I wouldn't mind the premium phone add on if it added the Google street view but i haven't read anything that supports that for the UK market? Plus i don't like the idea of putting my iphone in the armrest dock, i'd rather keep it in my pocket as i have a rather fancy Carbon fibre case on it! :smug: And don't want to keep taking it off. >:(
It is daft that you need to spec both to get the screen though!
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I'm guessing the arm rest dock is different to the mk6 'attach cable and drop it in the hole' design?
I've just got a cheapo cover on mine, it was just a bare phone before but I dropped it on the floor in work the other day and broke the back cover!!!